Romanian Mayor Suspended Following His Arrest On Corruption Charges

County prefect Eugen Georgescu signed an order dismissing Solomon Wednesday morning.

Solomon was placed under preventive arrest for one month on March 3 on charges of soliciting bribe, forgery and use of forgery. His appeal and request to be investigated at large were rejected by an appeals court Tuesday.

Solomon, who is the leader of the country’s ruling Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) local branch, is accused of having taken EUR50,000 bribe from Arges Football Club owner Cornel Penescu, also investigated in several corruption files, to release a construction permit allowing Penescu to have a PIC store built in Craiova.

Hundreds of employees with the local city hall protested the mayor’s arrest last week and organized sit-ins demanding his release from custody.

Solomon, 54, has been mayor of Craiova since 2004 and was reelected in 2008.